Friday, May 29, 2009

2009 Lilies. These get larger every year. Originally began as a plant from Kroger I stuck in the ground after it bloomed. These are amazingly fragrant and showy. Makes me look like I know what I'm doing!Cutting from my neighbor's hydrangea I propagated. Second year in the ground, first year it bloomed! Yay!Bought some more Seedum varieties at Highland Hardware. I missed shopping there. Seedum is drought tolerant and grows easily, lasts all year round and is very easy to propigate. Pinch of a stem and stick it into a pot or the ground. DANG.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Friends! Sam Flax has built a classroom just for us. The classes they're teaching are part of their new Flax Academy. I'll begin teaching there on Monday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 - 7:30PM. Here are two new classes starting in June. Sign up or spread the word if you can!

DescriptionThe Italic calligraphic hand is one of the most widely used and versatile alphabets around. It is highly legible and can be transformed (dressed up or down) with ease. A wonderful hand to learn for the beginning calligrapher yet versatile enough to experiment with for the advanced. We will spend 6 weeks learning the Italic hand. Students will be given handouts and guide sheets. We will also address spacing and layout for addressing envelopes.

Calligraphy is less about pretty handwriting, but more about DRAWING each and every letter. Its about establishing a pacing and rhythmic motion as you write - giving you a consistency of shapes and letters, and spaces in between words and lines. It is highly relaxing and meditative. Like yoga for the hands.

DescriptionWe will be making books and boxes in this class with a variety of materials and techniques. The objective here is to give you a fundamental understanding of how books are made - a backbone of knowledge so you can create your own books and journals.

There will be an emphasis on neatness and craft and most of all FUN. Making books is a very rewarding experience. They make wonderful gifts, sketchbooks for yourself and journals, photo albums, etc. The only skills required are a love of paper, attention to detail, patience and again - a need to have FUN!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

This little girl passed Anton by on the street. She was dressed in pink and white, her skirt was poofier than her entire body. She was sweet and confident and innocent, as was Anton who rubbernecked and said with a smile as she passed him, "Hello Pretty!"Life doesn't get much sweeter than that.

I told Debra about it, who suggested I ink up these feelings without overworking the studies. I did a ton with my class last night in Advanced Calligraphy. We had a blast!

I've heard several of you ask about the "Seamless Life" I've nodded to in my Wee Manifesto you see to the right in this page. Seeing Debra is part of that process. She had me hooked during our first 2-hour session, which she gives freely to her clients, in case you were interested. Try it! Her work as an Emotional Intuitive allows for a deep, deep excavation of the truth in you, what your body is literally crying out to be freed from. She helps bring out the truth in you and helps heal you of everything that gets in the way of all the good you can create, all the love you can share, all the joy you can multiply and all the peace you can be in.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Anton was the ring bearer and here are a few shots of our family having a great time. I walked down the aisle with Anton as he carried Tina's knitted cupcake, which held the rings. Really amazing to walk down the wedding aisle for the second time - this time with my son's hand in mine. I cried all the way down, listening to people swoon at his cuteness. It was a beautiful moment.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Anton's becoming more and more verbal and as he navigates his way through our language, we have given him a real challenge with the pronunciation of "Nonie's Hot Fudge Sauce." Eating ice cream used to make him gag and the texture of anything like it really grossed him out. So I was thrilled when he finally asked to have a bit of my ice cream with Nonie's Hot Fudge Sauce on top.

We love the was he says the complicated string of syllables and try to make him say it over and over again, because it kills us with cuteness.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

I used to think that by leaving all my silver out made me look like a good daughter and granddaughter because it meant I had the time and inclination to polish it regularly and that I appreciated the gift (my family is BIG into gifting engraved silver.)

Recently I looked at all the tarnished silver in my house and realized it just wasn't my style. I like COLOR and chunky pottery. I like ceramics and vintage teals and oranges and enamelware. So I put all the silver away and brought out the stuff I love the most. It's empowering to redecorate your home without any ghosts of shame and guilt trailing you into a decision that wasn't yours in the first place.

Here's just a small example of the changes I've made to my home. Each one a step closer to the real Anne.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

When I send Anton to school, I pack a snack and a lunch for him. Totally fun thing to do and it's even funner (is that a word?) to draw a picture for him on his paper towel napkin. I've started snapping pictures of them before I zip them up with the milk, cheese and cookies. This is a marketable idea, no!? Educational napkins for preschoolers? Each one different?! I should talk to Mr. Brawny.

Introducing the newly improved Petal PodTM! We've taken the same great design of the world's most innovative calligraphy ink well and added leak proof containers, each with their own threaded cap!!

Whether you dip your nib or like to load with a brush, the 6 smaller pods are perfect for holding just the right amount of ink, gouache, or water color. Use them to create fascinating palettes, creating a subtle flow of value and hue by dipping your nib in two to three alternating colors at a time. Each small pod measures .63 inches wide and 1 inch high.

The larger center pod can be filled with water/cleaner or to to hold a wet wipe while you work.

A calligrapher's dream tool, Petal Pods love you and want you to grow. Made of natural pine, Petal PodsTM are handcrafted, signed and embellished right here in Georgia. Designed by Anne Elser, Petal Pods are sold exclusively at Binders. Wooden base measures 4.5 inches wide X .75 inches high.

Introducing the newly improved MonoPodTM! We've taken the same great design of the world's most innovative calligraphy ink well and added leak proof containers, each with their own threaded cap!!

Whether you dip your nib or like to load with a brush, the smaller pod is perfect for holding just the right amount of ink, gouache, or water color and measures .63 inches wide and 1 inch high.

The larger center pod can be filled with water/cleaner or to to hold a wet wipe while you work.

A calligrapher's dream tool, MonoPods love you and want you to grow. Made of natural pine, MonoPods are handcrafted, signed and embellished right here in Georgia. Designed by Anne Elser, MonoPods are sold exclusively at Binders. Wooden base measures 2.5 inches wide X .75 inches high.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Here we have beefy Paul Bunyan and Davey Crockett on the covers of another coptic book. This one feels a little differently in your hands. It's small but with a heavenly vertical push, right up there in keeping with a fun story that's only a little bit exaggerated.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Love this new design. Incorporating both plain and lined pages inside, for the person who likes to sketch and write in their journals, this vert tall thin book STILL fits in my purse! Folios are letter sheets folded in half and the covers are from a Robert Louis Stevenson children's book. The color palettes are SO beautiful. I made three of these books and there are more to come. It has a large tape binding the book in the center with a few coptic stitches on both ends. Really stable book that incorporates both binding techniques.

Monday, May 11, 2009

I got two beautiful pairs of earrings by trading with a vendor at the Hatch Market. Her name is Jenna Chavalia and I liked her from the start! She has the same paper addiction as I do and really knows how to put stuff together. I hope to see her again at the Christmas ICE fair. I love the way she combines all these beautiful vintage buttons. Check out her ETSY shop!

F O L L O W E R S

Anne Elser Calligraphy Facebook Page

A B O U T

Artist Anne Elser makes her living as a calligrapher, painter, designer, and as an instructor in these fields. She believes making art creates a channel for truth and is a soulful reflection of the connections shared by all.

Artist Anne Elser makes her living as a calligrapher, painter, designer, and as an instructor in these fields. She believes making art creates a channel for truth and is a soulful reflection of the connections shared by all.